Oyasumi
by sachiko.infinite
Summary: "Why does my heart feel like this? It feels like it's going to burst..." In Hinata's attempt to protect Naruto from Pain's Deva Path, she was beaten half to death. Although it may have been many weeks since that day, he can't help but look at Hinata the same way. "Perhaps... It's love you feel for her, Naruto." Rated M for future sexual content and language.
1. Prologue: Ikari

Oyasumi

"Why does my heart feel like this? It feels like it's going to burst..." In Hinata's attempt to protect Naruto from Pain's Deva Path, she was beaten half to death. Although it may have been many weeks since that day, he can't help but look at Hinata the same way. "Perhaps... It's love you feel for her, Naruto." Rated M for sexual content and language.

_Disclaimer: I am just a fan, I don't any characters, of course! Naruto is created by Masahi Kishimoto!_

Prologue: Ikari

It was another sleepless night for Naruto. Besides the fact that he had to now reside in a tent like the rest of the village, he is haunted by the same dream.

It was as if he had to relive that terrible moment every time he closed his eyes. The scent of burning wood and smoke stung his nose. Even the dirt beneath his fallen body seemed real. And then he would see her body from a distance. She was far away but he could see the light in her eyes slowly dimming. His arms are reached out like hers but no matter how hard he reached, it seemed that she was only getting pushed further away. Naruto wants to scream out to her but his voice was gone.

Hinata. Hinata.

He screams again, even clawing the ground in agony. But no matter how hard he tried, she would smile and mouth some inaudible words to him. Her eyes would close and do would his in defeat.

The nightmare ends with him sitting up wildly in a cold sweat. With his hand violently clenched to his chest, he could feel his heart rate pound like a beating drum. Realizing it was just that recurring dream again, he sighs deeply and drops himself on his back.

"Why?" He asks himself.

"_Is this what it feels like to be a hero? You are granted a lifetime of nightmares?"_ He thought to himself, finally rolling on his side and sighing once again.

Naruto didn't want to feel this way. Watching Hinata die every time eyes close, was exhausting. And it was beginning to drive him crazy...

**A/N:** So far so good, guys? I'm sorry if it sounds rushed or anything! I haven't written anything in such a long time! It's been about 8 years (maybe?) since I posted any fanfiction. I feel so old now ^^;

But anyway, tell me if you would like to hear more from this story and I will be more than happy to add more chapters soon!


	2. Warmth

One: Warmth

_**You're our hero, Naruto!**_

_**I hope you don't mind! May I have your autograph?**_

_**Thank goodness he saved us!**_

Constant reminders that he had a role to play. The hero. Hearing that word everyday made his stomach sour and leaves his mouth with a bitter taste. What bothered him the most was that there was no way to tell if these nightmares were ever going to stop. All this time, Naruto had the strength to hold his own. He was able to keep his hopes up when it came to saving Sasuke. So why was it when it came to her...

"Naruto!"

The high distanced voice of Sakura came in the south direction. He turns around, watching her run up to him. She stops before him, snapping forward to rest her hands on her knees.

"Sakura." He blinks a few times. "What's up?"

Catching her breath, she stands back straight and shoots him a warm smile. "Would you like to have lunch with me?"

"Lunch?"

Aside from the lack of sleep, it was also a challenge for Naruto to feed himself. Looking up into the sky, the sun was at its highest. Not one cloud blocked the warmth but for some reason that light didn't reach Naruto. The sky could be engulfed in the flames of Amaterasu and his skin won't be scorched. In the least, that's how he felt. Cold.

Untouched.

"Naruto?"

With a gentle touch to the shoulder, he finally looks at his pink haired friend. Her touch was warm and gentle which seemed to have at least brought him back to reality. A smile appears on Naruto's face.

"Hah, sorry Sakura. Sure, let's go grab something to eat."

_\/\/\/\/\_

The two find a bench to sit on.

Naruto looks at the bland bowl of stew before him. Not one waft of good scent came from it. It lacked herbs and flavoring. He may not have been hungry but the food hardly seemed edible even if he was in the mood to eat. But it was all the village had. The livestock they once had was gone. No more Ichiraku's, no more grilled meat, no more warm beds, no bubbling baths. All of the necessities to live comfortably was gone. It was a sudden loss but the eyes of those who reside here still are still burning with strength. Konoha stands with their head held high and their fists clenched. With that thought in mind, Naruto felt a moment of peace in his heart.

He gives thanks for the food and takes a bite.

"You seem better already." Sakura suddenly says.

He looks over to her and forces a smile. Was it that obvious that he wasn't himself? Their eyes met for a moment before Sakura turns to stare at her untouched lunch. She must know something is up. Her gentle demeanor had completely given it away.

"I'm very upset with you, Naruto."

Her hands holds the bowl much firmer now and her eyes remains in bowl's contents.

"When something is bothering you, I don't want you to keep it to yourself. You're so used to dealing with things on your own... Putting all the work onto yourself. You have friends, Naruto."

Sakura's eyes turn to him. "I'm probably being selfish right now but... why don't you ever want to tell us anything? You don't have to be the only one suffering all the time, you know."

She wasn't wrong, he thought. But she was right about being selfish. If there was anyone that could read Sakura like a book, it was Naruto himself. Watching her grow alongside him all this time, he knew that besides her tomboy looks and behavior, she was still a woman who is in love. Her heart was big, so getting pounded a few times by her was nothing he couldn't handle. Sasuke was, and still is, everything to her. It must have been painful to keep everything inside. Sakura calls it selfish to be that way but Naruto understood. There was no need for exchange of words if her eyes told him everything.

But he forces out another smile. "I'm fine. Honest! So don't you worry about me, okay Sakura?"

He couldn't bring himself to admitting anything. They were just nightmares, they're harmless, he tells himself. Was he wrong for keeping it to himself? What if she thought it was silly to worry about the nightmares? What if...

The clank of Sakura's bowl hitting the bench caught Naruto's attention. "I see..."

"Sakura-"

"I'm not feeling very hungry after all." She stands to her feet, leaving her food behind. Their eyes failed to connect as she began walking off.

"Don't go, Sakura!"

Naruto stands to his feet as well.

Sakura looks back at him and her eyes widen for a quick moment. The color in his skin had left him and his lake blue eyes no longer screamed ambition. Everything about him was pale. How come it was visible to her now? This was not the Naruto she knew. "Tell me everything, Naruto."

_\/\/\/\/\_

_It's Hinata, I tell her. As I said Hinata's name, Sakura's eyes grew softer as if she knew what the solution to my problems were._

"_I keep..." My throat tightened in an attempt to holding back frustration, "I'm watching her die every night in my sleep. I don't get it. It would make more sense to me if I kept having these dreams if she really did die but..."_

_The more I think about it, the tighter my throat feels._

"_What do you think the cause of this may be?" Sakura asks._

_I shrug my shoulders. "My only guess was that a part of me felt like I failed her."_

"_How so?"_

_ I closed my eyes, trying to piece together what little fragments I had from the dream. The image of her body sprawled on the ground appeared in my mind again. She appeared to be mouthing some words to me again. Words I cannot make out... Why did she have to make such a stupid move in trying to protect me? She knew... Hinata knew that she couldn't win. Dammit! Just thinking about it, just makes me so upset!_

"_I'm so mad at her!" The moment I opened my mouth, I hardly realized that I was yelling. "I didn't think she was going to get involved! I didn't want to see her die... I-I-"_

_I froze in place as I felt Sakura's hand rest upon my chest._

"_Tell me, Naruto. How does your heart feel to you right now?" Quickly, she grabs my hand with her free hand. She places my hand over my heart, her hands resting over mine._

_My heart is beating furiously. It was so loud, I could hear the pulse with my own ears. But more than anything, it felt like it was about to rip in half._

"_Why does my heart feel like this? It feels like it's going to burst..."_

_I heard a tiny laugh slip from Sakura. Our eyes met and she shakes her head before removing her hands form mines._

"_Perhaps... It's love you feel for her, Naruto."_

_Love?_

_I didn't understand. What did love have to do with what I was feeling? Hinata was someone I was in love with? No. I didn't feel this way for her. My knowledge of love isn't something I can include Hinata in. It was love I felt for Sakura, not her._

"_I don't love her." I answered. My answer was absolute._

"_But she loves __**you**__."_

_I opened my mouth to reply but Sakura didn't want to hear it. "I have told you before that Hinata was always there, just watching you. Because you're so busy being the hero, you have forgotten that you have your friends right beside you. And you have Hinata. The only one that was stubborn enough to step up for you."_

_Stubborn..._

_I remember that day just like it was yesterday. Her words were engraved in my memory._

"_I won't let you hurt Naruto anymore!" I remember her saying._

_Why did you come out here?! Just run! You can't win!_

"_No!"_

_Hinata said no to me when I told her to run away from Pain. Why didn't she listen to me?_

"_I'm just... being selfish right now." It's what she said to me. Selfish._

_Maybe I'm just too stupid to understand it. But from what I can fish out from my mind, I found myself in Hinata. My hardheadedness, my stubbornness and my selfishness- they were traits that we shared. You would think that because we share many things in common, I would understand even just a little bit._

_Feeling myself becoming overwhelmed, I cut the conversation short with Sakura and headed for some isolation. If I stood there any longer, I might have passed out from it all. I just want to feel like myself again._

_So, what can I do to understand..._

_\/\/\/\/\_

A/N: My brain! It's frying half to death! I wanted to squeeze out at least a legit chapter for you guys. I've got nothing else but time on my hands here but I want these chapters to be perfect for you guys so I apologize if I'm ever slow, boring or sloppy. By the way if you didn't catch on, the second half of this chapter was indeed written in Naruto's POV. I wasn't sure if the transition was clear enough but in the next chapter, I'll refrain from doing that **if**__you want me to stop. Don't hesitate to voice your opinions on anything. It makes me happy to hear anything from anyone!


	3. Reunion

**A/N:** First, to clear any confusion, yes, Hinata is indeed alive and well in this story. I'm sorry for not clearing that up, guys T.T. But anyway, I'm debating whether I should drop the rating down to T. I don't know if much foul language will be overused in here, like ever... Though on the same note, I am definitely adding some naughty bits sooner or later... Or maybe now! Muhaha, you will never know!

*runs off like a manic*

Okay, okay, back to the story!

**Two: Reunion**

"_Lady Hinata, you must not associate with that boy."_

"_Huh? But, why not?"_

A young Hinata looks over at the single swing where Naruto dully sat. With Kō, her bodyguard, by her side and pulling her away from the troublesome boy, all she could do is watch him until he was too far to see with the naked eye. She didn't know too much about Naruto back then but there was something about him that peaked her interest.

Coming from such a nobel family such as herself, it was always a struggle to balance her kindness with her strength. And watching Naruto grow before her eyes, not only gave _her _the courage to get stronger like him but it also opened a large space in her heart just for him. Just the thought of it, makes her heart flutter in wonder.

Hinata opens her eyes from her slumber, sighing from the thought of her blonde haired love. Waking up with him on her mind, a small smile appears on her lips. Little does she know, he also wakes to the thoughts of her as well. Just not in a pleasing way like her.

Unfortunately on the other side of the village, our young blonde has been fighting his sleep and perched in a tree since his encounter with Sakura. That was about two days ago. With the loss of appetite and lack of sleep, a delusional Naruto shouldn't be too surprising to anyone. While this may seem extreme to our eyes, it was the only way Naruto felt like he wasn't on the verge of insanity. But little does he know, it's only doing more harm than good.

The nightmares are now his daydreams and the images of Hinata only gotten more vivid. It's gotten so bad that whenever he's staring blankly in space, her figure appears before him. She would be standing there unharmed for one moment and another moment, her head would suddenly leak blood down her forehead. He groans lowly and closes his eyes in defeat.

"Please, Hinata... Just go away." He pleaded.

"_Perhaps... It's love you feel for her, Naruto."_ The sudden words of Sakura echoed in his head.

No, he repeatedly tells himself. How could the answer be loved? If he loved her, why did he keep thinking about her like this? Why couldn't he dream of her in a more pleasant manner? Why did his mind keep thinking about her dying when he knew that as of right now Hinata was very much alive? If it was love...

"If it was love..." He mumbled to himself, "... The least my mind could show me is her face _smiling_ at me."

Naruto's eyes flash open as if a sudden idea came to mind. Maybe the only way the get rid of these terrible images is to see the real thing with his own eyes. "If I tell my mind that she is doing okay, maybe the nightmares would go away."

With his mind made up, the young boy jumps out of the tree and runs off. The dull blue in his eyes had almost glowed from the thought of everything going back to normal. He smiles to himself thinking, "Right, everything is going to be okay."

/\/\/\/\/\

It was everyone's duty to participate in the reconstruction of Konoha. This includes not just the townspeople but shinobi as well. Everyone helped one another whether it may be giving a hand to rebuilding ones home or just putting together a decent lunch for someone. It wasn't just the strong and healthy people working either. Many elder and little children offered help to those who woke up at the crack of dawn. Surely, it was a beautiful sight to see everyone helping each other.

With the sun hitting its highest, many workers will take their lunch break. Around this time, Hinata appears with food she personally made for the men who did backbreaking work on the Hyuuga residence.

"Uhm, excuse me. I made lunch for you all." The perspired villagers turn with relieved smiles on their faces.

"Oh, thank you very much, Lady Hinata!"

"You are so kind to us! Thank you!"

Hinata smiled bashfully as she offered each worker a nice plate of plain rice, miso soup and vegetable sushi rolls. Of course, it wasn't bountiful but it was made from the heart. Keeping that in mind, the workers were very thankful that someone great and beautiful as her was there to feed them everyday and offer a helping hand. After feeding the workers, some men sighed in wonder during her departure.

"I feel so lucky! We get fed tasty food by such a beautiful young woman." One of them cried, grinning foolishly.

"Lady Hinata is so beautiful!"

Hearing those sweet comments from the workers made her blush in modesty. She bows halfway and takes a seat not too far away from the residence. Hinata looks up into the sky and squints slightly. It has been incredibly sunny today so she was relieved that she was able to wear her yukata today. Finding extra clothes was also a mission these days. Not too many people were fortunate to salvage clothes or belongings from the rubble. They were either unusable or they were burned up along with everything else. In a way, she felt somewhat guilty that she had this to slip into on her days of rest. Her nimble fingers traced the trimmings of her yukata, reminiscing about the time this was given to her.

It was a gift given to her by her mother. The words rang in her ears as if she heard them yesterday.

"_Wear this on a beautiful day. When you have woken up to the thought of something beautiful, wear this." Her mother rests her hand on her daughter's chest. "I made this yukata just for you, Hinata. You will feel beautiful in this. I promise."_

Unfortunately, there was never any given time to put this on. This was the only outfit that surfaced from the rubble. And to celebrate a beautiful day such as today, Hinata thought maybe the yukata deserved to be worn outside at least once. "And besides... I had dreamt of Naruto today... That must mean something, right?"

The image of Naruto appears in her mind. Having the thought of him seeing her in this yukata alone would have been just enough for her. With that given thought, she wished that she had seen Naruto right then and there. But just when her imagination was getting the best of her, the sound of feet running in her direction made her eyes avert from her thoughts.

"Hinata!"

The figure that yelled out her name came rushing towards her like a crazed bull. Once the person came closer, she rose to her feet in shock, unsure if she was just imagining things. Her lips parted to speak but her voice was caught. Before she had a chance to think straight, the figure stands before her completely out of breath.

"N-Naruto?"

As he continued to pant, he stares at her with a flushed face. "Hinata."

"..."

"I had to see you."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

**A/N:** Sumimasen everyone! I've kept you guys waiting for far too long! Sorry, sorry! It was a busy week for me- I've been working on some art and cleaning because I'll be leaving for vacation next week. I hope there's some wifi during my travels or I'll be super duper upset! And uh, sorry if the chapter was short or boring. I've got the next chapter coming up very soon and you will like it wayyyy more than this chapter. See you guys soon!~


	4. Aftertaste

**Three: Aftertaste**

For both Naruto and Hinata, it felt like time had stood still just for this moment. Hinata stares at the blonde haired boy as if she had seen a ghost. Surely, her eyes couldn't be playing tricks on her considering they are made to _not_ do so.

"I had to see you." Naruto repeated, finally catching his breath. He steps closer to her and embraces her tightly.

Feeling his arms wrap around her waist and his chin tucked in her neck, once again left her in shock. There was so much emotion waving over her that her eyes filled with tears. Naturally, she hugs him back with her eyes shut tight. Although Hinata was confused, there was no way she would allow herself to pull away from him. As long as she knew Naruto, he had never came in contact with her like this yet alone touch her.

"Naruto-"

"Please. Can we just... stay like this a little longer?"

"... O-okay."

Naruto inhales, holding her comfortably in his arms. He couldn't believe he's holding her like this but even this bit of contact was enough to calm him down. If this was what he needed, not seizing such an opportunity would be silly. Even the scent of her hair had soothed him.

But suddenly realizing where they were, Naruto's eyes flash open and pulls her away. Confused, Hinata's eyes look over to his blushing face. Their eyes meet and he smiles nervously. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare ya like that."

"I-It's okay."

"No, it's not. Those guys over there are watching us."

She looks over at the workers and she flushes in embarrassment. Realizing he had placed her in a bit of an uncomfortable situation, he grabs hold of her wrist tugging her away from the scene. "I need to speak to you, Hinata."

Of course, she doesn't protest and allows her love to guide her elsewhere.

_So we walked. Neither of us had said a word since I pulled her away for privacy. I hadn't realized my hands were so clammy until I noticed I was still holding Hinata's wrist. She must be confused as hell but considering how calmly she's taking this, it must not be bothering her as much is it's bothering me._

"_Where are we going, Naruto?"_

_The tone in her voice sounded unsure now and I look up to notice that we were now standing in the forest. How the hell did we get here? Am I really that out of touch? I finally released her from my hold and laughed nervously. Boy, this must be really awkward._

"_Hah, sorry I don't know what I'm thinking." I said loudly, rubbing the back of my head._

_By the look she's giving me, she must be feeling out of place as well. I mean, I know why I came looking for her but now that I have her standing in this forest, it's like I had no idea what I wanted to say to her now. And for some reason, I can hardly look her in the eyes for long. Maybe it was this outfit she has on._

_She looks really pretty. Wait. Did I seriously just think that? Did I just call Hinata pretty? Er, it's not that she was unattractive or anything... I just didn't expect for a thought like that to come from me._

"_You look very cute today, Hinata."_

_What the hell?! Why did I just say that out loud?! Her eyes widen from my sudden outburst. I don't blame her. I'm acting so weird right now!_

"_Thank you." She answers, looking down at her shoes._

_Was this really the same Hinata from my dreams? The one before me seems so timid and frail. What about the Hinata that has been haunting my dreams? Why was she so bold and courageous in my dream? I suddenly felt even more confused than before. The dreams I have been having... I thought they really did happen._

_Didn't she jump in front of Pain when I was pinned to the ground? Was it Hinata that stepped in for me? Was it?_

_The memories of my dream had washed over me suddenly and the current Hinata that stood before me had disappeared. In its place, was Pain looking at me. Before I knew it, I found myself on the ground, eating dirt. Am I dreaming again?_

_Then Hinata appears by my side in defense._

"_No!... I'm just being selfish right now." She yells at me. I find myself getting upset again._

"_What's that mean?!" I yell, doing my best to look up at her. "Hinata, don't put yourself in danger like this, just go!"_

_No matter how many times I yell at her in this dream, she never wants to listen to me._

"_I'm here because I want to be. This time I'm going to save you, Naruto!"_

_This is where I get confused. She goes off saying all of these meaningful things to me and I just don't know how to register them. I didn't want to be saved by her. It was my duty to protect her and the others, so why should I feel okay with the words she's spewing out?_

"_I always chased after you, wanting to catch up... Wanting to walk with you together forever..."_

_Oh God, I didn't want to hear these words again. Please, no. Get me out of this dream. I thought seeing the real Hinata with my own eyes would change things. But now, I can't even leave the dream. I want to open my eyes but they are stuck in my unconscious memory. I was fixed to hear this over and over again._

"_That's why I'm not afraid to die here! If it means I can protect you!"_

_No, I don't want to be protected by you..._

"_Because I love you... I always will..."_

_It was __**those**__ words that kept aching my heart. Every time I hear that line, it just breaks my heart. To be honest, her words scared me. Growing up, I didn't know what love was. While I was too busy hating everyone because I was the sore thumb of the village, not once I dreamt that someone would ever say those words to me. Hearing it constantly through a dream... it terrified me. And now all I can see is darkness._

"_Naruto..."_

_Where was that voice coming from?_

"_Naruto!"_

_Someone was calling me from somewhere... Who was it?_

"_**Naruto! Wake up!"**_

Naruto opens his eyes from his unconscious state, confused as all get out. One moment he was standing before Hinata and now he finds himself on the floor with her big doe-like eyes looking over him. She had her small hand resting on his feverish head. "Naruto! Are you okay?"

He doesn't answer. Instead, he stares at her with furrowed eyebrows. "Why do you keep haunting my dreams?"

"Wh-Wha...?!"

Hinata fumbles with words as the blonde sits up from the ground. "I keep having nightmares about you. And-and I don't like it."

Unsure of what to say, she remains silent. Clearly, something was bothering Naruto but she had no idea how to make him feel better

"The reason I came running to you earlier on was because I thought maybe if I saw you in person, the nightmares would go away." The look of uncertainty was no longer in his eyes and the look of seriousness took its place. Hinata grew nervous, getting a feeling that the rest of this conversation won't be a pleasant one.

Being careful on what to say, she murmurs, "What were the nightmares about?"

Those piercing blue eyes of his continued to gaze down at her. A part of her wanted to look away because this tension was beginning to suffocate her. Ironically, the atmosphere was just as suffocating for Naruto. But there was no way either of them can back down now.

"I dream about you getting pummeled to death by Pain." He finally says.

There was a long pause after that. The only noise was the chirping of birds that perched in the branches above. Naruto places his hand over his heart, clenching his jacket. "I'm so afraid to close my eyes at night, Hinata..."

Just watching him like this was hard for Hinata as well. Seeing an unhappy and pained Naruto was something that just seemed unnatural. If there was anyone in the world who had doubts about themselves, it would be Hinata herself. Or that's what she thought. When she was down, the only person she looked up to as her light, was Naruto. So what would her life be if her beloved was lost in the dark was well? Just the thought feared her and she suddenly sprung into action.

With her small hands, she grabs hold of his clenched fist. The sudden cool touch of her hands to his fevered skin made him snap out of his trance. He looks at her with glassy eyes, the expression on his face completely indescribable. Hinata smiles slightly before looking away from him.

"I don't want you to be afraid. If you are afraid, then I will be afraid as well." She admitted.

"Hinata..."

As much as she would like to admit her love to the boy again, Hinata feared that her words would not reach him this time around either. It wasn't just Naruto who constantly thought of that day. It took a lot of courage, strength and power for her to stand up against Pain. Being aware that she was no match for him, it didn't matter as long as there was some sort of effort made. If Hinata was to die that day, there would be no regret. Her heart would be at ease and her death would not be in vain.

She would happily die if it meant protecting someone she might not have been victorious, but dying like that might not have bothered Hinata too much.

"Naruto... I will do anything to make you feel better." She said, finally returning eye contact.

"A-Anything?" He repeated.

Her light eyes soften and her smile turns sweeter. With a short nod she answers, "Yes, _anything_."

It was as if there was a quick shot of relief in Naruto's heart when she smiled. It wasn't just a simple gesture or a symbol of trying to just make him feel better. He knew that Hinata meant every word she said. He might not always be around her to confirm her common behavior but the thought of Hinata _not_ being genuine wasn't something that ever crossed his mind. Her smile was like a warm cloak around his body. His limbs weren't stiff anymore and the feeling of nightmares subsided. Naruto felt _good_. And he wanted to thank her in anyway possible.

Naruto's bland expression softens and a small unsure smile appears on his face. She said she will do anything, he reminds himself. With that statement in mind, he looks at the pretty girl before him. It was obvious that Hinata had grown into a beautiful young lady but this was the first time Naruto had really taken a look at her. The small things like the light hairs that stood on the back of her neck or the way how her lips part slightly when she is in deep though had stood out before him. Naruto felt wonderful and he thought, maybe the only way to keep this good feeling is to bring her just a little bit more closer.

Slightly, he leans in closer to her hoping that maybe if he kissed her, maybe this could all end. Surprised, she naturally tilts back in uncertainty. "Naruto, what-"

"Hinata, please."

Hinata's palms grew clammy. She couldn't believe that this was really going to happen. It what she always wanted. The dreams of kissing Naruto on a bright sunny day and in her best yukata had come true.

"Naruto-"

He silences her with a quick press to the lips. Hinata gasps slightly, forgetting to close her eyes.

While Hinata's mind exploded into a billion thoughts, Naruto fended off the thoughts of enjoyment. He knew that he was kissing Hinata but a part of him was beginning to enjoy this little kiss too much. Maybe it was a moment of desperation attempting to take over him but he was starting to feel a bit confused. The point of kissing her was to make him go back to his normal self. But now, the atmosphere was too pleasing to leave this with just a kiss, he thought.

He found himself resting his hands on her tiny waist and parting her small lips with his tongue. Hinata responds by flicking her tongue timidly at his. A part of Naruto wanted to laugh at her uncertainty. It was cute and he was pleased.

He pulls away from her lips to leave a soft trail of kisses down to her collarbone. Even the scent of her skin was making Naruto's fingertips burn in desire. It was supposed to be a kiss but now he just wants to engulf her with the flame that suddenly burned inside of him.

"Na...N-Naruto." She whimpered, resting her gentle hands on his shoulders. "W-wait, please."

As much as he wanted to listen to her, his lips were hungry for the remaining of untouched skin. He grazes his lips on the tracing of her collarbone, wandering off in the direction of her breast.

"Naruto, no!" She whimpers, pushing him away a bit.

Ignoring her again, his hand snakes up her leg, almost reaching to her panties.

Hinata gasps again, this time pushing Naruto with complete force. Almost falling on his back, he looks at her in confusion.

His eyes examine her face, realizing that the expression of fear was painted onto her face. "I-I thought you were enjoying it, Hinata."

Hinata stands to her feet, quickly tidying herself. "In the beginning I did. But it felt wrong."

Her feared expression diminish quickly but it was clear that her mind was made up. Naruto remained seated on the floor, not sure why this method didn't work. In his dreams, all he could envision was Hinata by his side, dying for him. But the Hinata that stood before him didn't feel like the one from his dreams. Sure, it was unfair for him to compare that to current reality, but he just just puzzled.

"You said you loved me." He mumbled, loud enough for her to hear.

Her eyes widen for a moment. It wasn't just Naruto who is confused. Naturally, Hinata wanted to be with Naruto but her dreams of being with him wasn't supposed to be this way. She thought it would be a bit more romantic. It might have been asking for too much, let alone he barely sees her in that sort of way, but it was how she felt.

Hinata bites her lip momentarily before deciding she should go. "Naruto, I see you are unwell. And this may be selfish of me... but... I have to go. The Naruto that is before me isn't the one I fell in love with. I want to help you but perhaps..."

She froze. She didn't want to say that there was someone else out there that would ease his pain. If there was anyone in the world that she wanted Naruto to lean on for help, she wanted it to be her.

"Perhaps..." Hinata repeated.

Naruto continued to stare her down, waiting for her to get her thoughts together. "Hinata-"

"I'm sorry!" She yelled, turning and running away from him.

The boy was at a complete loss. What exactly happened here? Why did Hinata pull away form him? Why does he suddenly feel worse than before? He watched her until the color of yukata was no longer visible.

"I'm such an idiot!" He growls at himself. The only lead he had to fixing himself was gone. Who would have imagined what little Hinata would have the will to push away Naruto. Just thinking about it, made him feel worse. His eyes wandered onto the ground before him. "I'm such an idiot..."

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

**A/N: **Gah, don't kill me guys! I'm sooooooooooo sorry! As of right now, I'm still on my vacation as I predicted, getting internet connection was a hassle. Not sure if my memory is playing tricks on me or not but I am sure I promised you guys that I would have had this chapter up pretty soon. Sadly, I have neglected you all

I will do my best to update soon. I love you all and I hope this chapter was a bit longer than the last chapter.


	5. Ultimatum

A/N: Sorry, this is another short chapter! I'm trying to squeeze out as much as I can. If I force long chapters, they won't sound so good! Bare with me, my loves!

**Four: Ultimatum**

**\/ \/ \/ \/ \/**

"We found you just face first into the damn ground. What the hell happened out there?"

Naruto stared blankly into the sheets that were over him. With Kiba on his left and Sakura on his right, the expressions each of them carried were different from one another. Kiba was just dead confused while Sakura sat there looking glum.

**\/ \/ \/ \/ \/**

_After Hinata left that day, I passed out for some reason. Maybe I stressed myself out or something. I don't know. All I knew was that I was laying in this tent for the past two days. I was sorta relieved to know that I had those nightmares while I was out for those days. Thank goodness. I dropped back down and rested my head on the cool pillow that rested below my head. "Not sure Kiba. Maybe I just had a fever."_

_From what I heard, Kiba and Shino found me in the woods when they were running an errand for the village._

_But anyway. I might be feeling better from the dreams but a part of me feels guilty for even laying a finger on Hinata that day. The way she looked after pushing me away, that expression, I just can't shake it off. I need to apologize to her for thinking of such a stupid idea like kissing her would fix my problems..._

_Right? Now that I think about it, I did have two nights without the nightmare. Still! She didn't like what I did and that should be enough to find her and explain myself._

"_Hinata." I said out loud._

_I could feel Kiba and Sakura's eyes on me. "Hinata?" Kiba repeated, still looking as confused as usual. Dumbass._

"_She was here not too long ago." Sakura answered._

_I looked over at Sakura. She doesn't look at me, not even once. I've got a feeling that Sakura knew what happened two days ago in those woods. Maybe Hinata told her everything. I've been such a forceful asshole and I won't blame Hinata for cursing my name. I deserve it. But I want to make things right. The least I can do is apologize, right?_

_Slowly, I got up from the floor and attempted to head to the tent opening. But a hand grabs hold of my wrist, tugging lightly at me and attempting me to rest again._

"_Naruto, please." Sakura said._

_I looked at her again and she still had that bothersome look on her face. It must mean that Hinata really does hate me. Sakura must have known already that I was just about to go look for Hinata myself. But the more I look at Sakura and her frowned face, the more my stomach twists into guilty knots. I must have done a lot of damage while I was resting these few days. Great._

_While I'm awake, I ruin things enough. Now even when I'm sleeping, things remain the same. What's the point of getting rid of the nightmares if the exchange was the loss of a friend like Hinata?_

_**\/ \/ \/ \/ \/**_

After much hard convincing to keep Naruto in bed, it has a huge success and he eventually fell asleep again. It was definitely a relief to keep him down for at least one more day. Sakura felt that Hinata needed more time to think and more time to mentally prepare for Naruto's upcoming encounter. If anyone knew Naruto, he did his best trying to fix things and knowing when to say the right things. As always, he had good intentions but this time around, it is imperative that he fix this problem steadily and carefully. Hinata hasn't been crying or anything throughout Naruto's time of rest but she wasn't feeling so much in high spirits when she received word that he has woken up from his two day slumber.

"I think he wants to speak to you soon." Sakura said to Hinata, both of them sitting on the bench that perched outside of the Hyuuga residence. Hinata knew that it was only going to be moments before Naruto is back on his feet and looking for her. For the first time in her life, she wasn't going to feel wonderful when seeing his face. There was a time when even thinking about the boy made her heart flutter in wonder. But not today. Or perhaps, just not anymore.

Naruto might have gotten rid of his nightmares but now it is Hinata that can't stop thinking about that day when she pushed him away. Just thinking about it, bothered her. She never thought there would be a day where she had to just run away from Naruto. That day was supposed to be perfect. She was in her Sunday best and the day couldn't have been more perfect. What was the point of all of that if it meant that she would lose the beautiful imagery of her love she once had in her mind? It was all for nothing, she thought.

Her head hung low and Sakura immediately rests her hand on Hinata's back. "I don't know all the details but... I don't want you to hate Naruto-"

"I don't hate him!" Hinata sprung up, her eyes looking in to Sakura's. Sakura stared with wide eyes, noticing that a brim of tears was lined in Hinata's eyes. If she blinked, the tears could spill over any minute. But she wipes her tears with her sleeve before they had a chance to fall. She sighs and eventually stands to her feet.

"Hinata!" Sakura stood as well, "I didn't mean to upset you. I just... I wish that whatever Naruto did to you was something that you can forgive him for. I know that sounds very demanding but I want you guys to both figure this out."

Hinata stares at Sakura once before heading off in the direction of her residence.

"You still love him!" Sakura yells, making the girl freeze in her tracks. "Don't you? Hinata?"

There was no doubt that both of them knew that answer to that question. But it was something that Sakura felt like she needed to ask. And it probably something that Hinata herself needed to hear from her own lips. A smile tugs at her mouth, and nods rights after. "Absolutely."

Words were no longer needed afterwards. The two women knew how much love was such an unexplanatory feeling. It was something where one hundred percent of effort was needed at all times. Both knew that love was a struggle for the both of them. To be longed for a touch or just a simple smile would do them both good. Sakura knew what Hinata was feeling and just that question was just enough. A smile appear on her face as well, getting a calming feeling in her gut that everything was going to be just fine.

Five days have passed since Naruto woke up from his sleep. Which meant it was been a week since Naruto and Hinata have yet to cross each other's path. The funny thing was that every morning, they both wake up sighing thinking about each other and figuring out when will the next person walk up to them and just _say _something. Just anything. They would twist and turn in their sheet, attempting to build the courage to approach the other. But it all resulted the same every morning. The two would sigh again and forget about it. It was probably the first time the two have shared so much in common at the exact moment. Who would have thought that they were so alike in this manner? Gusty ninja boy Naruto. Who always had something to say and never once feared to voice his opinions. And quiet girl Hinata. Who walked around timidly but was pure in everything she did. While the two carried themselves very differently, there was no doubt that they could fit each other like lock and key.

But it doesn't matter. They just don't want to budge. If only one of them was pushed a bit to make the first move to approach the other.

"Naruto."

Naruto didn't notice when someone walked in his tent. As he sat up from his bed, he realized it was Shino who stood before him. It was definitely a surprise to see out of everyone he knew, it was him that decided to pay a visit. He stood there with his usual silence, probably waiting for Naruto to at least make an effort to greet him.

"Oh. Hey Shino. Didn't expect to see you here." Naruto yawns a bit before rubbing the sleep out of his eye.

In doing so, the silent ninja took a short stroll around the tent space. Shino's odd habits was something that everyone knew about but for some reason, no one got around to just get used to it. Naruto and the others knew he was a good guy but sometimes his silence and his movements alone are just things that makes the yellow haired boy antsy in his bed. But this time it's a bit different. There must be on Shino's mind. Again, he wasn't the small talk kind of guy and he wouldn't waste his time here just to say hello and leave. He is here for a purpose and maybe that purpose wasn't something Naruto wanted to encounter as of right now. It was hardly bright outside with the daytime sun and yet Shino is here. Something is definitely up.

Shino finally makes a stop, nearly making Naruto stiffen in uncertainty.

"The village is coming along nicely." Shino mentions, turning his whole body in the direction of Naruto. "Don't you think?"

"... Er, yeah."

The tent fell with silence again. Boy, Shino was sure taking his time to get his point across. The suspense was making Naruto fidgety.

"Uh, Shino. Is there something you wanna talk about or something?"

Shino takes a few steps towards Naruto, finally answering him. "Let's talk outside."

"... Sure."

**\/ \/ \/ \/ \/**

After Naruto cleaned himself up a bit, the two head outside. The sun was just beginning to emerge from the clouds. In a way, Naruto was a bit relieved he stepped out of that tent. For the past week, it seemed more like a little hideout for him. For a while, he would just sit in there just thinking about _her_. Thinking of the best way possible to make things right again.

"Naruto."

Shino makes a sudden stop on his heels to turn and face Naruto. The majority of his face might have been covered but the boy knew that he should mentally brace himself for what's to come.

"What is it?" Naruto asks. "Spill it."

A small sigh escapes Shino. "You know why I'm here. Let's not pretend here."

There was a hint of annoyance in his tone, only making Naruto's jaws clench in defense. He thought if Shino was here to jump on his back, he didn't want to hear it.

"If this is about Hinata, then I know what I have to do."

"If you know what you have to do, then tell me why you have been hiding in your tent for days?" Shino barked.

"Hiding? Is that what you think I'm doing?"

Naruto knew that he has spent days held up in his tent but he didn't stop to think about how it may have looked from the eyes of others. He wanted to make things right by thinking of the best way to fix things. But here was Shino, making assumptions that Naruto just wanted to get away from it all. This was probably the first time Shino got under his skin. With clenched fists, he walks closer to Shino.

"I haven't been hiding. I was just thinking."

A light scoff escapes from the hooded ninja, only making Naruto even more upset. "Thinking. Is that how you put it? If it is taking you days to make things right, then maybe you don't realize what you did was wrong. I don't know what you did to her but you need to fix it. Now."

"I don't need to here this from you. What the hell do you know anyway?" Naruto yells. The thought of punching Shino right in the face crossed his mind. But now he just wanted to just walk away.

"I know enough."

"Whatever, Shino." Naruto begins to walk off.

The moment he turns around, he felt a firm hand on his shoulder. Shino spins him around angrily and Naruto pushes him away quickly. "Will you get the hell off of my back?!"

"I can't do that."

Naruto just wanted him to go away. But it seemed like it wasn't going to be the case.

"Shino... I know you mean well but I know what I'm doing. So please."

"You are my friend, Naruto. But I value Hinata's existence much more. I've been around her long enough to call her my own sister. I am tired of seeing her look so down. I want to help make things better as well."

It was true. Shino didn't say much to anyone but when it came to his teammates, he valued them. Seeing each and every one of them grow up to become something great was indeed wonderful. He saw them when they were learning new things, overcoming a fear and meeting a goal. But he also saw the times either Kiba or Hinata was at their lowest point. He felt there was a sense of duty he had to fulfill if he saw one of his own unhappy or at a loss of what to do. And if there was anyone who could read Hinata and her actions, it would be Kiba and Shino. And there was no surprise to him when it came to Hinata loving Naruto. She loved him so dearly that sometimes he wonders if her happiness and passion had rubbed off on others. The thought of her made Shino smile to himself.

"Hinata." Shino begins to speak, "She loves you. I don't know what she sees in you but I do not dare question it. I would be a terrible friend if I wasn't here to help."

Whenever Naruto heard that Hinata was in love with him, it always struck his heart. The feeling was unexplainable and he wasn't sure why. All he knew was when it came to Hinata and that word love, it always threw him for a loop.

But he folds his arms and looks away. "I know this."

"Then start acting like it. Don't neglect her love just because you don't know how to accept it. If you accept it, fine. But don't turn your back on her. If it was me in your shoes, I'd accept it in a heartbeat."

Naruto grew silent. He stared at Shino for a moment. Did he wish that he was in Naruto's shoes? For the chance of accepting Hinata's feelings? What if Hinata did love Shino the way she loved Naruto? The thought of it made Naruto's stomach churn. He didn't like the idea of her loving someone else but him. But at the same time, he couldn't figure out why. Maybe a part of him accepted the fact that Hinata was only interested in him only and thinking otherwise was just foreign to his brain somehow.

"How do you feel about her?" Shino added. "Do you love her?"

His face grew hot, somewhat taken aback on how blunt Shino is being. These questions and the things he was spewing out was embarrassing to answer. It could have been anyone asking these questions but hearing them all from Shino was racking Naruto's brain. But a question was a question and it was something that needed to be answered.

"... I don't know, okay? If I say no, I would feel like an asshole. But if I say yes, I would still be an asshole for lying."

"No one is telling you to lie, Naruto. You make these things so difficult."

Naruto rolled his eyes. What did Shino know about getting the girls anyway, he thought. "I like Hinata. I like her as a _friend_."

He pressed the word friend as if he was trying to convince himself too.

Finally, Shino sighs lowly before beginning to walk off. "There is your answer then. If you know your answer, then make things right. Don't make Hinata suffer anymore."

With that being said, Shino continued to walk off, leaving Naruto to think alone.

_Don't make Hinata suffer anymore_.

Before, he thought this was only about him. About his nightmares and how to get rid of them. He didn't think it was going to ever get so... complicated. All Naruto wanted was to be his goofy normal self and not this little wuss that have been roaming around the village all week. Just thinking about his selfish behavior sort of disgusted him. Shino was right, he thought. He had to apologize to her for everything and turn her down quickly. Turning her down would probably the most difficult considering it would result in him feeling guilty all over again. But leading her on some more would only make things worse. The yellow haired boy, inhaled and exhaled sharply before making up his mind.

"I have to apologize to Hinata."

**\/ \/ \/ \/ \/**

**A/N: Okay nevermind. This chapter wasn't that short but It felt like this one was a bit slow. Don't worry though. My vacation ends this Wednesday (which means I can focus more!) . See you soon!**


	6. Turnover

**A/N: Yay another chapter in less than 24 hours! You guys deserved it! Let's call it a _Labor Day Special!_ Keep those reviews coming! They definitely help! Enjoy!**

**Five: Turnover**

**\/ \/ \/ \/ \/**

His mind was made up but his palms were clammy and he couldn't get his heart to stop beating so hard. Walking to his destination, Naruto could have sworn that everyone's eyes were on him, judging him. It's been days since he walked around this place to contribute to the community but he knew deep down, his brain was all too messed up to even walk a straight line. The only thing on his mind right now was Hinata. The nightmares are gone but now he has to fix this so he can rest easy permanently. Just the thought of going to bed with nothing on his mind but sleep made satisfied him. Oh, how he missed a good night's rest.

Maybe that dream will be fulfilled once he explains everything to his number one fan.

Naruto was now standing before the Hyuuga residence. Now that it was almost time to face the music, he had the sudden urge to stick his tail between his legs and run back to the tent. How pathetic! But he shakes the thought from his mind and searched the area to see if maybe she was nearby. The last time he was here, he came charging here like a wild animal looking for Hinata. He also remembered seeing her hair tied up all pretty and wrapped snug in her yukata. And when she spotted him, her big doe like eyes stared at him in wonder. A part of Naruto wished that she wore that outfit again.

The sudden flash of him kissing her came to his mind and his fingertips tingled as if they remembered that day like it was moments ago. Her skin was so warm beneath his fingers, making Naruto's eyes almost close in an attempt to reminisce that day.

"Naruto?"

Quickly, his eyes flash open to the sound of a familiar male voice. It was Neji, who was standing before him with hands full of wooden planks.

"Oh! What's up, Neji? Have you seen Hinata?"

"She left not too long ago on a medical run with Kiba. They should be back within the hour."

Hearing that Hinata wasn't around almost made Naruto jump for joy. He was granted at least an hour more to think about what he's going to say to her when she gets back.

"Okay, great. Thanks a lot, Neji." He said turning on is heels and running to the village entrance.

\/ \/ \/ \/ \/

Thankfully, Naruto's nerved have calmed once he reached to the front entrance. During his sprint getting here, he somehow convinced himself that this encounter was going to be just fine. Hinata was a strong young woman and Naruto knew a way with words. As long as he keeps his cool, this might work out in his favor.

"And I can finally go back to normal." He mumbles, taking a little perch on the top of the gate.

The moment he gets comfortable on the top, the sound of a giggle caught his attention. Looking down to the ground, he noticed the large figure of a dog. Clearly, it was Akamaru and on top of him was Kiba and Hinata. Neji said it was going to be a while but I guess the errand was shorter than it needed to be.

The giggle emerges again and Naruto realizes that it was Hinata who was laughing. He continued to watch them from above, not wanting to jump down just yet. In a way, Naruto didn't want to see Hinata suddenly stop laughing because he had appeared. She tends to clam up when he's around. Other than that, he was also curious about why she was laughing. What ever it was, it sure had her very happy and entertained. As they headed closer, it was now Kiba's laugh that echoed down the path.

Naruto snorts. "What are they laughing at anyway?"

He suddenly didn't like the idea of the two laughing amongst themselves so he jumps down from the gate to meet up with them. The laughing continues and Naruto grows a bit more annoyed by it. He looks at Kiba and sees a goofy grin smeared all over his face.

"_What a stupid grin. I bet he said something stupid to make her laugh_." Naruto thought to himself.

It was Akamaru who sensed Naruto's presence and he barks happily. Kiba and Hinata looks over, their laughing coming to a halt. But Kiba remains smiling, even hopping down to greet his yellow haired friend.

"Hey Naruto! What's up?" Kiba said, patting Naruto's back cheerfully.

But Naruto didn't return the kind gesture. If anything, he was still irritated. "You guys came back pretty quickly."

"Oh, yeah. We just had to pick up a few herbs for medicinal purposes. Nothing major." Kiba said, turning his attention to Hinata, who recently hopped off of Akamaru.

Naruto eyed Hinata until she was standing by Kiba's side. She doesn't say a word but she quickly looks at Naruto before turning to her teammate. "We should drop these off soon, Kiba."

"Sure!" Kiba barked, nonchalantly resting his arm on Hinata's small shoulders. "Alright, Naruto! We'll see you around!"

"Actually. I wanted to speak to Hinata for a minute." Naruto added. "... If that's all right?"

Kiba pauses and looks at Hinata first. From what he can recall when Naruto had asked to see Hinata was that day he woke up from his two day sleep. The atmosphere that day was rather uncomfortable and as stupid Kiba can be sometimes, he knew that something was going on. He looks at Hinata first because he realized the moment she was before Naruto, her smiles had faded and her eyes had lost contact with everyone. Naturally, Kiba didn't like that and thought the idea of leaving the two alone doesn't sound too much of a good idea.

"Is it important?" Kiba asked, his hand squeezing Hinata's shoulder as a gesture for support.

Naruto watched Kiba's hand remain on her shoulders then looked over at Kiba himself. "It is. It won't be long."

"Uh, listen Naruto. I know it's none of my business but I don't think Hinata wants to speak right-"

"It's okay, Kiba." Hinata finally spoke up. "I'll be fine."

As much as Kiba wanted to just pick her up and run away, Hinata had already made up her mind to stay behind with Naruto. Which isn't much of a surprise for him but all he wanted to do was stay and defend her.

The thing was that Kiba was actually much in love with Hinata just as much as she loved Naruto. He always teased her about her crush on the goofy little ninja but only because it was in her interest. Kiba was fearless as Naruto but he never found the guts to tell Hinata anything. He also thought that she was just too good for the both of them and that it was no point in dragging a girl like her to his level. As long as she was happy, nothing else mattered to Kiba. His happiness was her happiness and that's enough for him.

"All right, fine. But if he does anything weird..." His eyes shot at Naruto before heading off along with Akamaru. "... I'll find you."

Naruto watched Kiba for a moment with squinty suspicious eyes. He snorts and turns to Hinata for a quick moment, with a bothered look on his face.

"Will ya look at that guy? What an idiot."

Hinata blinks a few times, watching Kiba from a distance.

"And he needs to keep his hands to himself! Pervert!" Naruto yells once again. "You shouldn't let him touch ya like that, Hinata. He was leaning on you and touching your shoulder like he was yours or something."

Hinata looks down to the ground, shrugging her shoulders slightly. "Well... You touched me too before..."

Naruto's rage face froze and was suddenly emerged in heat. His face and ears burned in embarrassment. He couldn't believe that she said that out loud. She was in no doubt correct but now the image of her kissing him back that day flashed in the back of Naruto's mind.

"Y-Yeah, well." Naruto couldn't even look at her now, still blushing deep red. "It all happened so suddenly."

Hinata grew silent, her eyes still not meeting his.

It wasn't just Naruto who is feeling awkward at the moment. Poor Hinata could hardly breathe right. While Naruto has been acting like a maniac for the past few days, Hinata has been such a nervous wreck the whole time. She was more silent than usual and whenever she thought she saw Naruto at the corner of her eye, she could have sworn she would have a panic attack. There was no doubt that she enjoyed kissing Naruto that day but for some reason, since that day her heart couldn't handle the encounter. This explains why she has hardly said a word and most of the time she'd rather stare at the ground than the boy before her. But hearing how Naruto is freaking out over the small touches Kiba had given her almost made her heart jump out of her chest in excitement. She sort of liked that he was jealous but there was no way that emotion would ever reach her face. Not now.

But now that she thinks about it, Naruto must have came here to apologize. It was such a typical Naruto move to try and make things right and for that, Hinata had already made up her mind to forgive him.

"But uh... I just want to say that I'm sorry for that day. I was being a crazy asshole. Ya shoulda kicked my ass for being so forceful to you." Naruto said, ruffling his hair out of frustration. She looks at him as he begins beating himself up and she almost smiles.

"It's... It's okay. Naruto." She said, doing her best to keep her eyes on him. He stops yanking at his hair and looks up at her in slight disbelief.

"Really? Because you can still hit me in the face if you want. I completely deserve it." He said, leaning in and grabbing hold of her hand to hit him in the face.

Finally, she laughs and shakes her head. "No, it's all right, Naruto. I really do forgive you."

Naruto felt a bit relieved that she forgave him. But he should have known that she would accept him again. He knew that she loved him dearly and it was probably the reason why he was let off so easily. Nonetheless, he was thankful.

He also felt better because she was smiling again. Not as widely when Kiba was here though. Naruto still wondered what was that little scruffy ninja yapping about anyway. In a way, he sort of wished he could make Hinata laugh right now. Because he feels that he have been causing Hinata a lot of trouble, the least he can do is cheer her up from time to time.

"Uhm, Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

She wiggles her hand that was still being held by him. Quickly, he lets go and shoves his hands in his pockets. "Oh, sorry!"

She laughs very lightly before placing her hands timidly to herself.

Again the atmosphere grew silent and awkward settled in. Naruto had only apologized but now he has to somehow tell her that he didn't want to be with her. He thought if maybe if he turned her down now, she wouldn't have to suffer later.

_Don't make Hinata suffer anymore_.

The words of Shino rang through his head. Without thinking, he closes his eyes and cringes to himself. He couldn't believe he was going to turn this poor girl down. She was standing here probably thinking Naruto had more good news for her to hear. Who knows? Maybe she's even hoping he'd come out and admit that he likes her. Just thinking about it only made Naruto feel worse. Guilt returned and he lowered his head.

"Naruto...?" Hinata spoke. She reaches for his hand this time. "I want to say thank you."

**\/ \/ \/ \/ \/**

_I could feel her eyes on me. Her small hands rested on my wrist, signaling me to reach out to her again._

_What was she thanking me for? I finally looked up at her and she was standing there with a sweet smile on her face. In a way just looking at her smile was comforting. Probably because when she is smiling, it's not usually at me._

"_Thank you? For what?" I asked, still confused._

_Her smile remains but now her eyes are aimed to the ground again. "For apologizing. You are so kind, Naruto."_

_Oh man. Goddammit. Why is she so nice to me? I felt my hands reach for hers as if it was a natural thing to do. What am I doing? My heart was beginning to beat like crazy. What was wrong with me? Gently, she squeezes my hand. I'm not sure what it was for but it calmed me. I felt good._

_I looked at her and reached for her face with my free hand. What the hell am I doing? Stop it, Naruto. Stop touching her..._

_She suddenly faces me, her eyes wide like before. I wasn't going to force myself on her again... I can't!_

"_N-Naruto?" Hinata says my name and I found myself staring at her face for a moment._

_Was this the first time I have looked at her? Was she this pretty before? Did she always look at me like this? Her eyes are wide but not wide with fear. They were filled with... With wonder. Like she was staring at some sort of treasure._

_Her treasure. It was weird but I had the sudden urge to kiss her again. Like before. But if I kissed her again, what kind of message would I be sending her? But I leaned in closer, noses almost touching. I could taste her breath from his distance and the taste sent goosebumps down my arms. I wanted her a little bit. But I closed my eyes in frustration._

_God, I'm so fucking confused... I'm so confused, I'M SO CONFUSED-_

"_I'm not afraid."_

_I opened my eyes to Hinata's words and her light eyes stared into my eyes. I know she wasn't afraid but I also knew that she was completely unaware of what I truly came here to do. I had to do it. I need to tell her the truth..._

"_I know, Hinata." I release her hand and cupped her face with my hands. "I know..."_

_Slowly, I rest my forehead on hers and she closes her eyes as if she was prepared for what ever I had in store for her. Our noses touched and I found myself trembling somewhat. Hinata's hands found mines again. Oh man..._

"_You're lips are trembling." She said, her eyes opening again. I couldn't look at her so I closed my eyes in guilt._

"_Hinata... I can't do this." I finally said. "I can't... love you..."_

_I could feel her hands let go of mines, instantly falling to her sides. She steps back a bit silently. I drop my hands to my side as well, my eyes still closed. I can't believe I said it._

_I told her what I wanted to tell her. What she needed to hear. Hinata had to hear the truth. But if she had to hear it, then why do I feel so bad? Why does it feel like I just drove a knife through her chest? Why... do I feel so cold?_

_A bit lost..._

"_Okay." Hinata suddenly says to me. My eyes flash open but she was already walking away. For a moment there, I thought I saw a glimpse of her face. It looked like she was crying. Goddammit. I made things worse. I didn't dare turn to call for her. I really fucked up this time. She must really hate me now, doesn't she?_

_I'm sorry, Hinata. You don't deserve any of that and above all else I don't deserve anyone like you. You are far too kind, too pretty... to chase after me._

_ The night, I couldn't sleep. At all. I stared at my hands as I lay in my bed. I should have kept my hands to myself. I should have just left her out of this. I should have dealt with my problems alone like I always did before. Sakura, Sai, and everyone else always told me that I didn't have to suffer alone with my problems. It might seem like a good idea to have a shoulder to lean on. But what good would that do if I get those other people involved? And they would have to suffer like me._

_I'd rather just suffer alone... I dropped my hands to my face and sighed heavily into them._

_I'm just the biggest asshole in the village..._

**\/ \/ \/ \/ \/**

A/N: Right in the feels! Loved it? Hate it? I'm on a roll here guys! And I want to thank everyone for the faves, the follow and of course the reviews! They truly mean a lot! See you guys soon!


	7. Epiphany

**Six: Epiphany**

_I felt warm. Like I was sitting in a hot spring or something. I open my eyes and fog appeared before me. Looking around, I saw that I was definitely siting in a hot bath. But how did I get here? And how long was I here for? From the looks of the lack of pruning on my hands, I must not have been here for a while. Did I even get a chance to fall asleep last night? There was a lot of questions to ask but not a damn person was near to answer my question._

_I sighed a bit for deciding I might as well just stay in here anyway. I sort of needed this. I was such a mess yesterday. Hell, I have been a mess for quite a few days and I don't know what to do next. The amount of trouble I caused for Hinata is completely unforgivable and I won't be surprised if Shino or Kiba got the heads up on how much I had put poor Hinata through. Sigh..._

_I sure miss her._

_Wait._

_What? Did I really just say that? Is that my guilt talking or... Or did I really mean that? I mean, of course I would miss her! She's been my friend for so long, it's only natural for me to miss her now that I know she will forever hate my guts now._

_I sat in the bath silently, sighing again. Why the hell am I sighing so much?_

_And why do I keep thinking about her? Am I really feeling that bad about what I said to her? Sure it was blunt but if it was the truth, I shouldn't be taking it so hard. Ugh. I shut my eyes tight, trying my best to avoid any imagery of what happened yesterday. Before I told her that I couldn't love her, she seemed so happy then. Her smile and how she was just holding my hand... It was like all of her happiness came rushing to me. It felt really good to be around her._

"_I'm so sorry, HInata." I mumbled to myself. "I'm just a confused idiot."_

_What did I know about love anyway? When did anyone ever pay so much attention to me like she did? And when did anyone's face turn that red when I was around them? When was there ever a time someone would so easily forgive me or protect me, not because they are my friends or because it's their duty but simply because they loved me... Just thinking about how someone could do all of that just for me scared me._

_Was I... Am I scared to be loved by someone? By her?_

_By Hinata?_

_I felt a pair of hands wrap around me, causing me to almost jump out of my skin. I was so stuck in my thoughts that I had almost forgotten where I was. These hands don't feel very familiar. Who's were they? Before they got any tighter around me, I turn around and saw Hinata. My eyes widen, almost falling back into the water. I set some space between us, trying to figure out why the hell she was here!_

"_H-Hinata?" I said. "What's going on? Where are we?"_

_I looked at her again, realizing that she was naked like me. I looked away quickly, trying not to stare at her. Aside form the fact that I wanted to keep looking, I'm sure I wasn't the only one who already knew that Hinata had a glorious body on her. Even clothed, her boobs were near impossible to not notice them. Don't even get me started on trying not to bump into those things. But now that she was before me naked, it was a task that no one should take lightly._

_I took a super quick peek to only find that she was gone. What the hell? Am I dreaming or something? Maybe I was. The fog from the bath made my vision only a bit blurry but not enough to make me hallucinate her being here. But if there was someone I should have been dreaming about sharing a bath with, why didn't Sakura come to mind? I always thought I loved her but it's been a while since she even crossed my mind until now. I almost laugh at myself. Because once again, I lack the understanding of what it means to fall in love with someone. Maybe I do love Sakura, maybe I don't. But what I'm feeling right now..._

_It wasn't for Sakura._

"_Naruto." A voice calls my name again but I didn't feel a trace of anyone's presence. It was just like before but more eerie. If this was a dream, this wasn't funny anymore. Now I'm looking around, trying to pinpoint where the voice is coming from. It disappears again and I quickly splash my face with the water I was sitting in. Even the water felt like a dream. There was no more warmth coming from it and the sound of water had ceased. Splashing my face with the water again, I open my eyes to see the water that was once before me was replaced with blood. Lots of it. It smelled of rotting steel and now I'm starting to panic. This was becoming one of those nightmares I had before. Only difference now is that it's much bloodier and much too vivid to snap myself out of it._

_This is fake, this is fake, I know it is. I just need to wait for my eyes to open._

_I turned around to head out of the blood bath but I bumped into a figure. I looked up and there I saw her again. Hinata was standing before me with a hole in her chest. It looked like her heart was yanked right our of her chest. I'm standing there, horrified. I didn't understand why I was dreaming of this but I want it to go away. I shut my eyes tight, hoping she would be gone. I don't want to see her like this again. This was so painful to watch._

_It pains me so much to see her like this. I don't want her to suffer anymore. I want..._

_I want to save her! I need to save her! I need her to save me!_

_I need her..._

**\/ \/ \/ \/ \/ **

Dripping with perspiration, Naruto sat up panting harshly, almost choking on his saliva. Instantly, he hugs his knees and cries frantically. All of the emotion, the stress, the anger and confusion all came out at once. He didn't know that he had been holding back for so long. All of the things he thought he knew was right thing, wasn't after all. The dream horrified him but he understood what his mind was trying to tell him.

After a few minutes of sobbing, he wipes his eyes and face, doing multiple attempts of catching his breath.

Naruto might have been crying but he was very upset with himself. Upset that he went to such work to deny himself these feelings for Hinata. All of the urges he felt when it came to her touching his hand or his shoulder were as clear as day but he kept it in the back of his mind. Whenever he thought of Hinata, he did his best to deny it and replace Sakura as an idea of someone he should be with. He was fully aware that Sakura loved Sasuke to death and dying for him was probably second nature for her. Naruto would fight to death for everyone because that's just who he was but when it came to Hinata and the idea of her just dying, it broke him down badly.

And if it meant keeping her for himself, as selfish as that sounds, he would want to do that.

His sobbing stops and he runs his hands through his messy hair in stress. The idea of running to her home, calling her name out and cradle her like a child, came to mind. But it was quickly averted when the image of her crying when he told her that he couldn't love her was carved into his memory. It was punishment for him and as much as he thought he deserved it, he wished that yesterday he could have just kept his stupid mouth shut.

"I'm so sorry, Hinata." He whispered to himself, sniffing like a child. "I'm _so_ sorry!"

He coughed once, doing his best to hold back painful tears.

Everything felt like it was closing in on him. It felt like he was that same child that once sat on that lonely swing. That swing he always swung on while the others stared at him with eyes of doubt, pity and fear. Those eyes made him feel lonely and hateful. The same feelings that he had when he was once a child had returned. The room was cold and dark and Naruto just wanted to just sit there and cry. Cry in hoping that these past weeks were just part of a sick joke or dream.

Naruto felt like this was the last moments of his sanity. All he wanted right now was Hinata to at least be there to warm his body. As long as she was there to smile at him or hold his hand- even words of comfort, he would have felt alive again. But even thinking that would happen seemed like the impossible...

"I have to... at least explain everything to her." He said blankly to himself. Naruto's swelled eyes stared in space, in his final attempts on maintaining is stability. It was hard to swallow down that nightmare and the tears but he knew that the only way that he can walk away from this all without feeling like this is to tell Hinata the truth. Nodding at his thoughts, he rubs his eyes again and surprisingly stands to his feet. His heart still beats frantically but the boy's mind was already made up.

Hinata had to know the truth and Naruto was willing to use the bit of his energy to find her. Now.

**\/ \/ \/ \/ \/**

It could be that the world was just against Naruto. After making a solid decision on looking for Hinata, it has been two hours since he has been scouring the village and there has not been one lead on where to find her. To make things worse, it has been pouring buckets the moment he stepped out of the tent. While the weather halted civilians on their construction, the streets were still active with others at least trying to get _anything_ done. It was more of a natural thing for the people of Konoha to do their best in rebuilding their home. They have a one track mind and this includes our boy Naruto.

The rain poured heavily but it hardly hindered Naruto's objectives as he continued to ask around for Hinata.

"Excuse me, sir." Naruto panted, running up to a guy carrying supplies from the downpour. "Have you seen a pretty girl with long purple hair. From the Hyuuga clan?"

The guy squints his eyes in thought. "Hyuuga? Sorry, no I haven't."

Naruto groans lowly to himself, nodding to the guy and heading off into the rain again. With a leveled head, he continues on with his objective. Little did he know, Sakura stood nearby, surprised that Naruto hadn't even realized that she was right there. For a moment, she wanted to call out to him to ask if he needed the help. But she smiles to herself, in good spirits that Naruto was finally thinking truthfully.

Sadly after midday, the blonde calls off his search for Hinata. Frustrated, he heads back to his tent in an attempt to cooling off and thinking some more. For a while he thought all this time thinking to himself, it would make things better. But Naruto felt that it was only this morning where he felt better somehow. Besides waking up in a cold sweat and tears, he felt there was some sort of calling from that horrific nightmare. He is now convinced that he knew his next move was going to be the right one. For everyone.

With the rain still pouring like crazy, he charges into his tent, lightly panting in relief to get out of the rain. It didn't take long for him to notice the figure that stood facing his bed though. His stomach drops and his blue eyes grew vivid in slight disbelief.

"H-Hinata?" He spoke, his voice dry from the recent runaround.

By the looks of it, her head and shoulders were just as soaked as Naruto's. She turns her body in his direction with a tiny unsure smile on her face. "I was looking for you."

Without another moment to spare, he walks over to her and pulls her into a hug. Although she was chilly from the rain, Naruto spent all day looking for her warmth. Even through her thick damp clothes, he felt her heated skin. He squeezes her tight, burying his face into her neck and sighing in complete relief. For a moment, he could have sworn his eyes were brimmed with tears from happiness. As much as he didn't want to let her go, he knew he needed to explain himself. And correctly this time.

Releasing her, Naruto rests his hands on her arms and exhales sharply. "Hinata, I want to first apologize. For everything."

She stares at him, waiting.

"I don't think I've been honest with you! I've been an asshole to you and while I'm really troubled on why you came to see me, I'm really really happy that you did! I said such mean things to you and pushed you away all this time and, and... I'm just really stupid and I know that you deserve better than me but I don't want you to hate me! And now I'm rambling because I don't know how to be any more direct than this and what I really should have told you all along was..."

Naruto paused from his babbling to finally in her in the face again. "... That I love you."

With surprise, she stands there with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes. "Naruto." She whispered, closing her eyes, allowing the tears to fall.

Being his usual confused self, he frowns as he firmed his hold on her arms. "Hinata?"

Hinata sniffles, still smiling. "I'm sorry. But the tears won't stop falling."

"I fucked up, didn't I?" He asked. Naruto lets go of her and attempts to turn away. But she quickly grabs hold of his sleeve and she shakes her head quickly.

"No. No, you didn't." She admitted, her eye contact falling to the floor. "I'm... I'm just really relieved. When you told me that you couldn't love me that day... I wasn't crying because I believed it... I cried because I knew that you weren't completely honest with me. I was just _waiting_ for you, Naruto. I didn't want to believe it but..."

In small steps, Hinata comes closer to him and rests her hand on his heart. "Your body and your heart... Told me the truth from the very beginning."

Naruto rests his hand over her small hand and sighs in complete relief. Had he known that the solution to his problems were so simple, there was no doubt that he would have done this from the beginning. He may not be too satisfied with his self evaluation, he was more than happy to hear that Hinata was once again willing to forgive him. A part of him still felt that he didn't deserve such a woman like Hinata but there is also a part of him where he felt that there was no other woman who could make his heart feel like it could burst in joy. He only felt this amount of joy when the fragments of his parents arrived in his subconscious memory. If there was anything in this world that could make his heart feel this way, Naruto wouldn't dare let this slip away. Not again.

"Hinata..."

She looks up to him before finding her lips being pressed to his. This kiss was much different from the one in the forest. Before there it was a kiss of desperation, a kiss of loneliness and sadness. But now, it was warm and gentle. And loving. A kiss where it felt like Naruto's life depended on it.

Naruto pulls away to stare at Hinata's face for a moment. He knew that he kissed her just now but for some reason he couldn't wrap his mind around it. It felt like a dream. A wonderful dream that should last forever.

"Naruto... I love you too." Hinata added, her face flushing in embarrassment.

He smiles, stroking her cheek then running his hand in her hair.

"It must feel nice to say it out loud now, doesn't it?" He teased, a grin appearing on his face.

It was a smile that no one had seen on his face for a long while. To be able to see that infamous goofy grin of Naruto's first in such a long time, made her feel special.

"It does." She admits.

Naruto strokes her cheek again before leaning in for yet another kiss. Hinata closes her eyes and whimpers lowly. With her timid hands, she rests her hands on his chest. He pulls away again and laughs nervously.

As much as Naruto would like to strip Hinata down to her naked beauty, he didn't want to ruin the moment by his perverted attempts. It seemed like a few kisses were only enough for the now and the least he can do is to take his time with her. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her away for the billionth time.

"Here about this, Hinata?" Grabbing hold of her wrist, he walks her over to his sad excuse of a bedding on the floor. "It's still raining outside so you should stay here and warm up. Your clothes are soaked."

With guidance, Hinata sits on his bedding while the blonde ninja rummaged through his things for a spare towel. While he was mumbling to himself, there was so much running through this girl's mind. For one, she couldn't believe that she was here alone with the guy of her dreams. Kissing him was already dream like enough but everything about Naruto just felt new. All these years, there was so many occasions where Hinata had no choice but to admire him from afar. But now that there's no need to, it made Hinata feel like she was on top of the world. She may have been sitting there in wet clothes and damp hair, but she was happy. And it was all that mattered.

She looks over at Naruto again right when he finds what he was looking for. A slight _aha_ came from him and he turns facing her with two towels in his hand.

"Oh, right. Almost forgot." With that comment, Naruto puts the towels down quickly to undress his top half completely. Putting one towel to his wet hair, he finally walks over to Hinata and sits before her with a pleased look on his face. Hinata on the other hand suddenly felt nervous at the idea that he was sitting two inches in front of her with his chest bare. It probably wasn't the first time she had seen him shirtless but it didn't matter especially if she could see him in full detail.

As a ninja, it wasn't unheard of for them to wear battle scars. Whether they are on the arm or face, Hinata spotted ghostly scars on his chest. Without thinking, she lightly traces her finger over one scar that ran down from his collarbone. Naruto flinches a bit and she pulls away quickly. "I'm sorry. I should have asked."

"Hah, no worries." He said. But as much the boy tried to keep his cool, the sudden contact with her finger stroking his exposed chest, excited him a bit. It was the perfect excuse to hint at the idea but again, the last thing Naruto wanted to do was have Hinata running off again. He had to get the idea out of his head quickly. So, he picks up her towel and proceeds to dry her damp hair. It was a sweet gesture but it only made Hinata flush in slight surprise. With Naruto doing his best to remain on his good side, the reminder that Naruto was half naked, drying her off made Hinata's head spin a bit. If anything she was probably just a bit overwhelmed. Just the same with Naruto, she did her best to keep _her_ cool.

"Uh, sorry. Is this making you uncomfortable?" Naruto spoke up, pausing at his current task.

"No, not at all..." She trailed off. Of course this was a nice gesture but Hinata was beginning to feel a bit awkward that he was more focused on her hair rather than the obvious. Her hair was damp now but her clothes remained soaked and she needed to get out of them before she caught a cold. The idea of running home to change came to mind but she thought that maybe this was just a chance to call for keeps.

It was sex that came to her mind. Just like any other warm blooded man out there, experienced or not, the idea of seeing a girl naked before them who was willing to give it all away, they would without a doubt feel tempted to take that offer. Unfortunately, Hinata was a virgin and the image of any man flesh driving deep into her center, scared her a bit. Pain wasn't something any ninja should be afraid of but she always wondered if it was worth all the anguish. Another thought that came to her mind was, if Naruto was experienced. Wth her imagination taking the best of the girl, she figured that it was possible he had slept with a couple of girls before. It wasn't what she preferred but if she really loved Naruto, he must have been the best choice for this job. With that quick evaluation, Hinata halts Naruto from the silly job of being her personal hair dyer and gently guides his hands down to his sides. Naruto looks at her, puzzled.

"Did I do something wrong?" Naruto asks, eyes widened in slight worry.

"No, but... I think I need help with something else." With timid hands, she reaches for the jacket zipper and slowly pulls it down. With ease, she tosses it to the side before attempting to peel off the top that desperately clung onto her skin. Naruto swallowed hard before quickly grabbing hold of her hands. Her eyes look up to his in worry, her face flushed bright red.

"Hinata. Wh-What are you doing?" Yeah, it was a stupid question for him to ask but he was so shocked that he had to hear it from her.

"... I thought you would like this." She mumbled, her face still rosy.

"O-Of course I would!" He stammered, trying his best to keep eye contact. "But we don't have to do anything you don't wanna do."

As much as Hinata hated to admit, she was quite relieved to hear him say that. It would definitely be something she wants to do with Naruto but her heart just wasn't into the whole sex thing completely.

"... You won't be mad?" She asked, her eyes losing contact long ago.

Letting go of her hands, he reaches up to her small face to stare long into her eyes. The blonde smiles and shakes his head a bit. "No way! There's no reason for me to be mad. Just being able to sit by you like this has already made me satisfied." While that may be true, we all know Naruto's penis would be sad for the rest of the night.

But Hinata exhales in relief before Naruto plants a kiss on her forehead. Afterwards, the two sat in silence.

"..."

"..."

"... Okay since we've decided that, how are we going to get you out of these wet clothes? You don't have any spare clothes here." Naruto mentioned, nervously laughing.

**\/ \/ \/ \/ \/**

After multiple awkward moments and a couple of simple kisses, the two got into some dry clothes and did their best to make some sort of comfortable bedding for two. With that no longer being an issue, it didn't take long for the two to be cuddling up against each other. Naruto was starting at the roof of the tent while Hinata rested her head on his chest, half asleep.

He thought that he was dreaming again but this all felt too real. Recalling how the day started, he never imagined that everything would have turned out so well. With so much stress he had not only put on others and himself, he just couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that Hinata had accepted him after all. It made his heart squeeze in excitement and a satisfied smile on his face. The boy was incredibly thankful and promised himself that he was going to put his life into making all of this stay this way. Hinata moans in comfort as she rests her right arm over Naruto's chest. He shifts slightly, kissing her forehead once more before drifting off into a light slumber.

**\/ \/ \/ \/ \/**

**A/N:** I know, I know I'm such a monster! It's been about a month since I updated, right? I'm going straight to fanfiction hell for that! As much as I wish I had an excuse, I don't. I was just _stuck_. But I unstuck myself and I hope that you guys forgive me TT^TT


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